Ultrasound transducer, ultrasound endoscope, and method of manufacturing ultrasound transducer

Abstract

An ultrasound transducer includes: an acoustic matching layer; plural piezoelectric elements arrayed on the acoustic matching layer; and plural blocks arranged adjacent to at least one of ends of the piezoelectric elements in an elevation direction of the piezoelectric elements, each of the plural blocks including an abrasive.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ultrasound transducer, comprising:
 an acoustic matching layer;   plural piezoelectric elements arrayed on the acoustic matching layer; and   plural blocks arranged adjacent to at least one of ends of the piezoelectric elements in an elevation direction of the piezoelectric elements, each of the plural blocks including an abrasive.   
     
     
         2 . The ultrasound transducer according to  claim 1 , wherein the acoustic matching layer is curved in an arc-shaped manner with an inside on which the piezoelectric elements are arranged. 
     
     
         3 . The ultrasound transducer according to  claim 2 , wherein heights of the blocks from the acoustic matching layer is higher than heights of the piezoelectric elements from the acoustic matching layer. 
     
     
         4 . The ultrasound transducer according to  claim 3 , wherein the heights of the blocks are heights at which adjacent ones of the blocks do not interfere with each other when the acoustic matching layer has been bent. 
     
     
         5 . The ultrasound transducer according to  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive included in the blocks is alumina, silicon carbide, or a mixture of alumina and silicon carbide. 
     
     
         6 . An ultrasound endoscope comprising the ultrasound transducer according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         7 . A method of manufacturing an ultrasound transducer comprising an acoustic matching layer, plural piezoelectric elements arrayed on the acoustic matching layer, and plural blocks arranged adjacent to at least one of ends of the piezoelectric elements in an elevation direction of the piezoelectric elements, each of the plural blocks including an abrasive, the method comprising:
 forming, along the elevation direction, plural grooves for the piezoelectric elements, by cutting the blocks before cutting the piezoelectric elements, by cutting the blocks after cutting the piezoelectric elements, or by cutting the blocks before and after cutting the piezoelectric elements.   
     
     
         8 . The ultrasound transducer according to  claim 5 , wherein sizes of particles of the abrasive range from 1 μm to 30 μm. 
     
     
         9 . The ultrasound transducer according to  claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric elements are in contact with the blocks.